Do you sometimes feel powerless? It is easy to let your problems overwhelm you. David Jeremiah says, however, “If you’re facing a giant in your life right now, don’t compare yourself to the giant but compare the giant to God.” When David was facing Goliath in I Samuel 17:37, David knew God was all-powerful and could easily handle the giant or any other challenges he had–past, present, or future. David told Saul, “The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Nelson’s Dictionary explains, “God’s power is unlimited. He can do anything that is not inconsistent with His nature, character, and purpose (Gen. 17:1; 18:14), and the only limitations on God’s power are imposed by Himself (Gen. 18:25). Impossible is not in God’s vocabulary. Don’t forget God created and sustains all things; and He never grows weary (Isa. 40:27-31).” Billy Graham cautions us, “Satan wants you to doubt Christ’s power in your life. It is important to know who the enemy is and how his battle plan unfolds. From the beginning, Satan longed to rob God of His rightful place, His throne of glory and power. Satan will never accomplish his goal in the big picture, but he can accomplish his goal in our lives if we let him.” Remember as we navigate through the trials and tribulations of this world: as a believer you are not alone, Almighty God is on your side.
Take all your fears and problems to God and always start with praise, remembering God’s power and glory. Let Jeremiah’s praise of God in Jeremiah 32:17 remind you of God’s great power. “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” Call to mind God’s promise in Genesis 18:14 to Sarah and Abraham when they questioned the prospect of having a child at their advanced age. The Lord spoke these encouraging words to them, “Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” Remember Scripture’s assertion: nothing is too hard for the Lord! Luke 1:37 puts it this way, “For with God nothing will be impossible.” As David Jeremiah explained in No Problems Too Big, “What we consider to be big—huge, mammoth—is hardly anything in God’s sight.”
Overwhelmed?
When life is overwhelming, write verses that encourage you on each page of your prayer journal. For example, Isaiah 40:31, “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” I remember quoting this verse many times in college and as a young mother. Isaiah 40:29 is a great reminder, too. “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.”
Defeated?
Have you ever felt defeated in your present situation, feeling like this one is too much to ask God to handle? Write this verse in your journal—or, even better, memorize it: 1 Chronicles 29:11, “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.” Psalm 147: 4-5 is another great reminder of the power of God. “He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” God not only is great and powerful, there is no limit to His insight and understanding–what a blessing!
Exhausted?
When I have felt weak and exhausted, I remember this verse in Ephesians 6:10, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” Consider this great verse, too, in Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” These words remind us that God’s strength is the source of the power at work within us. What a wonderful testament to His power and strength.
Afraid?
Remember God is our all-powerful Protector, and He does not want us to be afraid. As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” David also reminds us in Psalm 46: 1- 3, 10- 11, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” God tells us to “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!” and “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Praise God!
As believers, we are not powerless. We have Almighty God as our heavenly Father. Nothing is impossible for Him. Have faith and trust Him. Let Tony Evans’s words sink into your heart, “The opposite of fear is faith.” Our Lord is able to do more than we ask or think. “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You.” (Psalm 84:5).
“Now Lord God that I am old and grey-headed, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.” As you said to the psalmist, “Even to your old age, I am He who upheld you from birth. And even to gray hairs I will carry you!” You have made me and will bear me, and you will carry and deliver me. I praise you Lord, there is no God like you.
(Psalm 71:18; Isaiah 46:4)
In Jesus’s almighty name, Amen.
“Impossible is not in God’s vocabulary!”